


He's Getting There

by SadWizardJessi



Category: Orbiting Human Circus of the Air (Podcast)
Genre: Big season 2 spoilers, Found Family, Gen, Season 2 spoilers, What if Leticia had seen him that day, What if fic, i havent written anything in like 1000 years, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:15:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26494729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SadWizardJessi/pseuds/SadWizardJessi
Summary: It was pretty often that Leticia heard the name Julian tossed about in passing throughout the past few years. Her and Jacques had long since stopped pausing in hesitant excitement at reuniting with their lost friend.But there was something about this time.tdlr; what if Julian didn't hide as well as he thought he did at the end of the season 2 finale?
Comments: 5
Kudos: 19





	He's Getting There

It was pretty often that Leticia heard the name Julian tossed about in passing throughout the past few years. Her and Jacques had long since stopped pausing in hesitant excitement at reuniting with their lost friend.

But there was something about this time.

Stopping at the cafe had been a whim. A last minute decision from François. “For the good old days, right?” he’d stated and everyone couldn’t help that little bubble of nostalgia that had bullied it’s way up.

Within seconds of entering the cafe, her attention had been drawn by an older and heavy set man in a corner booth, trying to explain to the tired old waitress that “No, no I am not alone. My friend Julian is with me. Didn’t you see him? No, he is not a ghost! He is very real. Julian, please. Please Julian, show her you’re real.”

It was an odd conversation for sure, but after all this was Paris. She probably would have written it off. Especially since the waitress turned around as the rest of her troop came in and smiled at them, seemingly in recognition.

But she knew this place. And she’d noticed Jacques pause as well. And if it wasn’t just her then surly… A simple glance couldn’t hurt.

She felt herself mentioning something about not actually having time to eat here. They should just leave and come back later.

But Leticia had noticed something. Something over at the table with the odd man.

She saw a foot. And as if it knew she’d noticed it, it shifted just out of sight from breath the table. And that was odd right? Even if she was wrong, she couldn’t be blamed for checking. She felt Jacques already giving up and turning around, but she quickly placed a hand on his arm in pause as she started to walk in the direction. The air felt heavier somehow as she stepped. Jacques tried to question her but as he too felt the tone shift, he fell silent, the two of them leaving the rest of the Troop confused in the Cafe doorway. But that was fine. They could understand soon enough. She took a calming breath and approached the man insisting on an invisible friend being there just seconds before they stepped in.

Meanwhile. Julian could hear Mr. Chouinard insisting he existed above him. And in any other situation a part of him would be thankful, but today. In this cafe. He was not. He could feel his hands shaking. His face was … smiling however? That’s odd. To feel so scared you could leap out of your skin. But also so relieved you could just relax into a puddle right there. That was until he saw a new set of feet appear however. Feet that weren’t too small, weren’t too big. Feminine but strong in stature. Julian pressed himself further beneath the table, tongue feeling heavy and throat thick.

Instead of hearing a conversation between a voice much too familiar and his current employer and new… friend? The legs before began to widen into a squat and Julian felt his breath and voice leave him all at once. Kind but stern eyes suddenly peered at him from beneath the table. Mr Chouinard could be heard above questioning this strange woman, but Julian found he couldn’t hear it. The sound around him turning to mud in his ears. So for his sake, I’ll relay it so we all can understand.

“Julian? Oh Julian, it is you!” She switched from squatting into a cross legged position, and that was no good. She wasn’t supposed to see him at all. Julian thought back to his relief of not being a ghost and was quickly rethinking his delight. Being a ghost would be very much more pleasurable to this.

“Julian…. I understand why you left. And I understand why you’re looking so scared right now. I’ll leave you alone, just like you wanted but, I just want you to know. We miss you. Everyone misses you. And if you ever want to come back, you can.”

Julian can only hear his heart in his ears, wishing he could reply. Wishing he could make things happen. Wishing he could run up and hug her. That he could just run. His legs felt like lead. His eyes stapled open as she spoke to him in the very same voice she’d always had, if a little more softer than her usual cadence. Julian took a large gasping breath that made her eyes somehow soften more so than they had already.

“I’ll go away now, but I really wish I could hug you. It really is great to see you again, Julian. We all love you. Very much. Please come back when you’re ready.”

And with that, she went to reach out and pat his knee, but at the small squeak Julian made, she paused, biting her lip. Instead standing back up and returning to the troop still gathered in the doorway. Julian knew if he just stepped out, he’d see them. All of them. And they’d see him back. He was shaking. He heard the bell over the door ring as the door swung shut. He could hear the soft rumble of Mr. Chouinard speaking above him but it wasn’t processing. With a strangled sound, Julian crawled out from under the table whispering only one thing. 

“They love me.”

His last words to Coco resonated in his head. He wasn’t ready to go back to them. He wasn’t ready to face them. But watching them walk away through the window, a couple glancing back at the door, His arms shook. He desperately wanted something from them. They were crossing the street, heading back in the direction they came. He couldn’t just let them leave! What would all that recent talk of bravery and courage have been for. He’d seen them. And they’d seen him back. “Leticia,” he’d practically whined. Mr. Chouinard held a hand to his arm.

“Go after them,” he seemed to be saying. Julian stared, wide scared eyes and nodded. “I’ll be back,” he replied before feeling his feet all but fly to the door. Hardly noticing the sudden eyes on the strange man who hid under a table and now flew out of the cafe and across the street just as his friends, his family, began to turn the corner out of sight.

“WAIT!” He shouted in the loudest voice he could muster, feeling his face heat up. Which wasn’t that loud, mind you, but he was trying his best. His feet could move no closer as he got to the curb of the road, just a yard away from them. As if in unison, they seemed to pause. Julian could feel a rogue thought that he often thought of the stage hands having moments of a hive-mind like sense. 

It was Jacques who said his name this time. Julian felt even his bones shake. Not due to the cold despite the snow piling up on the ground.

“Julian?” he seemed to say in disbelief. Leticia turned to face him, seemingly a mix of emotions. He could feel his eyes water with what only could be tears as she and Jacques parted from the group, making their way back towards them.

Despite this being his idea, Julian felt frozen. His feet like concrete. He couldn’t move as they moved closer. He couldn’t say anything. He could hardly blink as his vision blurred. Then a hand was pressing on his left shoulder and the wind was cut off on his right.

“Heya kid, it’s good to see you again!” Julian dropped his head, eyes watering faster at Jacques’ voice. There was a buried emotion in it. But also relief. Happy. Happy to see him. Truly. What a remarkable thing. Leticia just looked down at him, a mixture of relief and … pride? But that couldn’t be right.

“Julian, are you alright? You are shaking mon amie.”

He felt his head nod, hands going up to grip at the collar of his buttoned jacket. What now? He’d wanted something. Something made him run after them. He wasn’t ready to go back with them yet. He couldn’t face everyone. He couldn’t even face these two really. Julian bit his lip, glancing up at the two hovering over him.

“I showed Coco The Great Recitating Platypus of the North,” he blurted out in a shaking, whispered voice.They blinked in confusing but neither said a word as Julian took a breath.

What are you doing, Julian?

But I got no answer, as Julian continued into his tale of meeting Coco. Of adding them all into his silly story he;d spun for a lonely old man. Because he’d been a lonely boy. Missing his friends.

It was quick to see them fall into the trance. So enraptured with his story, only replying with small words for his continuance. Julian felt himself relaxing as well as he spoke to them. Shoulder no longer tense beneath Jacques’ heavy hand. Fingers loosening on the tight grip he’d had on his collar. He was unsure for how long he stood there, but it was long enough to actually start shaking from the cold, the rest of the troop no longer stand behind them, seemingly gone, knowing the other two to catch up eventually.

As his tale came to an end, Julian felt his hands shake once more. “I told him. I told Coco. That I love him. I love you guys too, I-”

He felt the grip tighten on his shoulder before falling. This was his chance. To slip away. But as he looked up, ready to turn away, something in him stopped himself. It surly wasn’t me.

Julian looked up at their relaxed and interested expressions. He looked up and felt something he hadn’t noticed in a long time. But a feeling that had been there for quite sometime.

He wanted a hug.

Without much time to think on it, Julian pressed himself into Leticia’s neckline, hugging her for all her worth. He knew this would likely shake her of her hypnosis, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. One hand gripped the back of her jacket, the other reaching out blindly to grab hold of Jacques’, tugging him slightly.

As if on cue, two strong arms wrapped around his back, quickly joined by an even thicker pair. The three stood on the street, hugging for quite a moment As Julian tried to find his voice. Speaking a story was easy. Even if most of the story was true.

Speaking for real was harder. But he was getting better. He used to be better with them.

He pulled out of the complicated but warm embrace and stared at the three sets of shoes. He knew they were looking. That they could see him. He began to shake again.

“It’s okay kid. Take your time.”

“Oui, Julian. We are in no rush.”

Julian sucked in another quick breath, holding his eyes shut. He imagined Coco before him. Soft eyes and a patient and interested smile. He felt his shoulders fall slightly, not noticing when they had shot up again.

“I-” Julian shook his head, not quite understanding what he was trying to say. “I can’t- go.”

He could feel their disappointment. He didn’t need to see it. But that didn’t quite feel right either. He opened his eyes, only looking high enough to see chins. All cut off by his faithful hat. He pulled on the collar of his jacket again. “Yet,” He added, finishing the thought. “Not yet,” he repeated, more to himself than to the two before him, but they seemed to understand. He could see Jacques physically deflating at the omission, but Leticia seemed as strong as ever, shifting her weight.

“That’s okay, Julian. I told you’d we’d wait for you to be ready.”

He nodded, wiping at his nose suddenly. When would he stop crying?

“Miss ya, kid. It’s not the same without ya. But what tish said. We’ll wait for you, ya know where to find us.”

Julian glanced up just as they were walking away. Despite the fear still striking his heart, Julian felt a weight lift form his chest. He didn’t run away. Even now with the affirmation he wasn’t ready yet, he wasn’t running away. He was just… giving himself time. He felt a shaky smile that stayed on his face even as Jacques and Leticia glanced back at him, watery eyes and a slow wave as they rounded the corner of the building to follow after the rest of their family.

The moment they were out of sight, Julian could feel the world pressing down on him again and spun to run immediately back to the cafe, all but diving under the table. Mr. Chouinard was concerned and confused of course, but Julian ignored him, needing a moment to himself.

“I spoke to them,” he whispered to himself, staring at hands that just a few moments ago were apart of a hug. It was only a mere exchange of a broken sentence, but he’d let them see him and didn’t run away. This narrator could only feel pride. Even as Mr. Chouinard spent the next hour coaxing Julian out from beneath the table to eat something before taking him back to the Tower.

He wasn’t ready to go back to his family just yet. But he was getting there.

**Author's Note:**

> This show is very dear to me and I've been wanting to write something for it for years. I woke up at 7am this morning needing to write. I hope it came out well? I haven't written anything in a long while lol And there's not a lot in the fandom so it was nice to contribute. I hope you guys liked it :) I can't wait for news on season 3!!


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